The Odd CoupleRachel and Jasmine are back. This time they are playing for the same team. Say it ain’t so! And the stakes are much greater as someone has been murdered and all fingers point to Rachel. Working with each other instead of against each other changes things for this duo. Or does it?Two minds are better than one, so it was great to see authors ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Victoria Christopher Murray team up again to bring readers their memorable characters and their crazy antics with “Friends & Foes.” The premise of the two being forced to work together because of the seriousness of the circumstances was a good one. However, how that premise played out left much to be desired. The book often felt stretched, forced, farfetched and too convenient. It lacked the substance of “Sinners & Saints” and was very predictable. Also, in the copy I read, beginning with chapter 23, the pages were out of order. It quickly became annoying for my reading flow to be hindered by constantly having to check for page numbers and flip back and forth. This went on for several chapters.On the plus side, I do like how well Billingsley and Murray worked together. Their voices blended so well and complimented each other; one could easily feel they were reading the book of just one author. I’d love to see them work together again for more escapades of Rachel and Jasmine but the next time with a little more depth and plausibility.Reviewed by: Toni These two authors just keep getting better and better. Every time I stopped reading FRIENDS & FOES by ReShonda Tate Billingsley & Victoria Christopher Murray to do a chore or run an errand was frustrating. I wanted to get back to New York, Houston, Chicago or The Virgin Islands where Rachel and Jasmine were having a really exciting adventure. Perhaps, Rachel wouldn't call it an adventure, but looking from a distance at thugs and guns and a disappearing dead body might seem downright fun. At least, the authors know how to make such goings on fun.I knew this was going to be a fun novel when at the very beginning who should show up on the pages but Oprah. I had to keep reminding myself this is not really Oprah, silly. It's just a novel, but it all seemed so real except for the fact I have seriously doubts whether Oprah would find herself outside of Harpo in the parking lot with two angry women throwing words as hot as fire. President Obama and The First Lady are mentioned in the novel also. "Tell Barack and Michelle I said hi and I promise I won't come to DC again without calling....I think this is name dropping with a lost of etiquette. First names??? Hmmmm. Not unless you are Oprah Winfrey.What seemed over the top was the competitive spirit between Rachel and Jasmine. After all, would a Baptist church lady member lock another member in a small room just so she could have an interview all to herself? I suppose competition and jealousy or envy are strong emotions. So I did learn not to think religious people are above playing down and dirty with one another outside of church. Jasmine and Rachel throw such painful, shameful words at one another that I felt ashamed for them. Believe me I know now it's no fun hearing two role models of your community fighting like cats and dogs with cruel words. Really, I disliked the times when they went at each other like they were trying to win a contest for who could give the best insult. I also thought it was more than awful for Rachel to lock Jasmine in that small room. I thought Rachel was playing a borderline criminal. Really, I think the dislike between these two women plays into the hands of those people who choose to believe women can't work together without hating on one another, and it also played into the race factor. Some people believe black women are only capable of scratching and tearing each others hair out never able to work together as a good business team.However, the novel is very well written. I made my opinions, threw the novel, laughed at the novel, but I definitely kept reading until the end. I enjoyed Mae Frances. Did feel pain for the way they treated this elder lady. Jasmine and Rachel treat her the same way they treat one another with harsh descriptions, etc. "I have no idea. You know she's old. She's probably in the early stages of dementia and likely thought it was a doorbell."While I didn't care for the dialogue between the characters and thought the two husbands Lester and Hosea were very weak I thought the mystery surrounding Pastor Griffith a very good one in this time when so many Mega church preachers seem to find it hard not to go astray. I think Yvette needed a bigger role too. I also applaud the two authors for their use of humor. I've read somewhere it's very difficult to write humor. At least they gave it a shot and almost didn't miss the basket.I also wondered why the dress worn by Rachel never came up again. Rachel had wiped Pastor's blood all over the dress. I thought that would have been important evidence to keep her in trouble for a while. However, I enjoyed The Magnificent Mile,themagnificentmile and The Virgin Island, visitusvi. I hope to meet Mae Frances in a different book where she acts a bit more mature. Thanks for a great few days of fun. Plus, I learned a new word"No they wouldn't be friends, but they wouldn't be enemies, either. They'd be frenemies." It's kind of difficult to call this Christian Fiction. There aren't moments of prayer, meditation, choir sweet singing hymns or feelings of repentance or change. The one lesson I will hold on to is "But I've learned that worrying ain't gonna add a single hour to my life. At least, that's what it says in Matthew." Jasmine grinned.victoriachristophermurray, reshondatatebillingsley
What do You think about Friends & Foes (2013)?
quite the duo - love/hate working together , learning to tolerate then like one another
—Lorrainepm
Quick easy read...looking forward to another collaboration between these authors
—Sassafrass
